About Us
About …
Alane (AJ) Millions is an EponaQuest (LLC) Horse Facilitated Learning Teacher with an extensive horse and human background, both nationally and internationally. Having trained with Linda Kohanov, author of ‘The Power of the Herd’, she now offers life changing Horse Facilitated Learning (HFL) programs in a variety of settings.
Grounded in 30+ years of acquired skills as well as a depth of experiential learning, she facilitates the ‘dance’ between horse and human. AJ combines horse wisdom with common sense and has an absolute passion for supporting people to expand the quality of their lives and extends the ‘open gate’ policy to anyone who has come through her gate; as they can return to re-connect with the horse herd when they feel the need to.
Having been mentored by Graeme and Gayle O’Brien of Phoenix Rising (Gold Coast) in the human arena and trained with Ray Hunt, Pat Parelli, Bryan Neubert, Wayne Anderson, Peter Campbell and Steve Jefferies in the horse arena, and Raymond White in the cattle corral, she delivers powerful, tangible and transformative programs while maintaining the integrity and wellbeing of the horse herd.
As a native Canadian, AJ was custodian of a 6,000 acre ranch with 150 head of cattle and horses. She also worked as a large animal veterinary assistant, was instrumental in exporting 240 quality ostriches to Australia and supported with horse programs in Okimaw Ohci Healing Lodge, a correctional facility for First Nations women in Saskatchewan, Canada.
Since immigrating to Australia, AJ has lived on the land of both New South Wales and Queensland, raising children, ostriches, emus, cattle, goats, sheep and horses. After co-owning and operating a Wellbeing Centre for 6 years, AJ has been sole proprietor of ‘Leading the Way International’ supporting schools and at risk youth on the Sunshine Coast since 2012. Along with her ‘Masters’ in Common Sense, AJ also has a Diploma in Community Services.
AJ, the horses and their extended team of humans have diverse backgrounds and experiences, ‘Leading the Way International’ offers unique, tailored programs to people of all ages and abilities and welcomes anyone who holds an interest and desire to co-exist amongst the herd and learn skills that will see them through their lives.
Horse Wisdom Video
Horse Wisdom
AJ has been supporting people to expand the quality of their lives and relationships with the horse, through a direct understanding of horse wisdom for 30+ years. The experiential Horse Facilitated Learning Centre instills measurable and enduring life skills that are long-term and transformational.
The programs facilitate healing of any related issues through exploration of mutually beneficial human-horse relationships and horsemanship skill development.
With 10 horses; stallions, mares and geldings on approximately 75 acres, two round pens and comfortable classroom, we offer a safe and relaxed environment for program participants.
WHAT IS HORSE WISDOM?
Horses have evolved with unique senses to help them survive in the wild, these senses have not been evolved out of them despite their domestication. They have the ability to know what our intent is, how we are feeling and if we are scared or feeling comfortable.
They can sense if our heart rate goes up or if we are holding our breath. If we hold our breath and our heart rate increases it can be interpreted that we are stalking them, much like a lion does to a zebra.
Their survival depends on their ability to accurately read the emotional state of others and act accordingly.
Horses want to naturally “feel good”. To them, this is the space they feel no resistance.
If we force them to be with us they may not feel comfortable. The ensuing relationship then goes into resistance. It is difficult to learn when the flight or fight response is activated. We must change something in ourselves to get into relationship alignment. Horses teach us to slow our minds, our breathing and align our thoughts, behaviours and actions.
THE APPROACH
As we approach the horse’s bubble, it automatically senses if we are acting like a predator or a friend. They know if we are communicating with them in a way they understand. When we go into the horse’s world and communicate via their methods from the beginning, a solid relationship is formed.
THE RELATIONSHIP FOUNDATION
When a bridge of trust and respect is assembled we have a common foundation of understanding in which to build a relationship with strong foundations.
This foundation building is a simple process and the results are astonishing and fortified even if the relationship gets briefly out of alignment. The horse shows us how to be 100% responsible for our own thoughts and emotions. They support us to change perceptions immediatley.
When we can master these skills with our horse facilitators, we can then begin to use these learned skills in the human world